Carpet-stretcher



(No Model.) 2 Shets-Sheet 1.

A. STOGKDALE.

CARPET- STRETGHER.

No. 362,122. Patented May 3, 1887.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.) A. STOCKDALE.

CARPET STBETGHER.

N0.,36Z,122. .Patented'May 3, 1887.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER STOGKDALE, on WOLOOTT, IOWA.

. CARPET-STRETCHER.

fiPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 362.122, dated May 3, 1887.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER Sroox- DALE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wolcott, in the county of Scott and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Carpet-Stretcher,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in carpet-stretchers in which two sliding parallel bars, one having its end attached to the free end of the carpet, operates in conjunction with the other, which has its extreme end affixed to the floor; and the objects of my improvements are, first, to cause said bar gripping the free end of the carpet to move or slide forward parallel and on the bar engaged with the floor and thus stretch the carpet, and, second, to secure the carpet in position when sufficiently stretched, so that the operator may disengage his hands and tack said carpet to the floor. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whieh- Figure 1 is a side view of the entire machine. Fig. 2 is an opposite side View of the same. Fig. 3 is an end view of a portion of the machine. Fig. 4 is an opposite end view of a portion of the same, and Fig. 5 is an end view of arm E.

Similarletters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A represents one of the parallel bars, in the underside of which are cut a series of notches, a. One end of said bar A is bent or turned downward, substantially at a right angle, as shown at b, at the bottom of which is attached the grip oar d.

B represents the other parallel bar, one end of which is turned or bent sidewise, substantially at right angles, as shown at f, and upon the bottom or under side of which project the sharp points 9, and from the upper side projects the short standard 0. At the opposite end of bar B, and upon its upper side, rises the box or sleeve D, and. at a short distance back upon the upper surface of bar B rises the tooth h. The end of bar A is passed through the box or sleeve D, and the tooth h on bar B engages in the notches a upon the under side of bar A. The arm E is pivoted to bar A by means of an ordinary bolt and nut.

eccentric.

Attached to the bottom of arm E is the gripbar 6. At the lower edge of grip-bar e is a groove, i, and at the lower edge of grip-bar d is a projection, j, which fits into groove WVheu the free end of the carpet is gripped or caught between grip-bars d and 6, projection j presses the carpet into groove 1', and thus holds it securely, The arm F is pivoted to the short standard 0 upon bar B by means of an ordinary bolt and nut.

G represents a rod or bar, the under side of which for a considerable distance has the notches in, the opposite end being pivoted by an ordinary bolt and nut to the side of the arm E, and its opposite end resting upon the pin Z; projecting from the side of arm F, which pin Z fits in or engages with said notches It.

The operation of my device is as follows: The box or sleeve D is drawn near the end of bar A, so as to increase the distance between arms E and F, as shown in comparison of Figs. 1 and 2. The free end or side of the car pet is placed between grip-bars d and e, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the letter at representing the carpet. Arm E is pulled forward, throwing gripbar e backward, thus tightly holding the carpet between grip-bars d and e. The foot of the operator is placed upon that part of bar B shown atf, and the weight of the operator thrown thereon sufficiently to force the sharp points 9 into the floor, and arm F thrown forward, so that pin Z, projecting-from its side, will engage in one of the notches It: of rod or bar G, substantially as shown in Fig. 1. The operator then pulls upon bar F, thus causing bar A to slide forward in box or sleeve D, and tooth h to engage with notches a of bar A as they pass, thus preventing bar A from sliding backward, notwithstanding the strain of the carpet. \Vhen the carpet is stretched, my device appears substantially as shown in Fig. 2, at which time the carpet is tacked to the floor to hold it in position.

In addition to the device here described, I can use the following attachments: At the end of bar A, where that part, b, turns downward, I attach to its side a wheel, n, pivoted thereto at its side or off its center, so as to act as an When arm E has been pulled forward, so as to cause the carpet to be tightly gripped, wheel a can be turned so as to come in contact with arm E, and thus hold it in position. To arm F, I pivot, by an ordinary bolt and nut, the bar 0, the end of which is pointed sharply to enterthe floor. When the carpet is sufficiently stretched, bar 0 may be dropped forward and downward, so its pointed end rests upon the floor, and the strain from the carpet causes its point to enter the floor, and thus hold bar F inposition, thus permitting the operator to desist from retaining his hold upon said bar, and giving him, in connection with the first attachment, the liberty of both hands to tack the carpet to the floor.

I am aware that carpet-stretchers havebeen invented wherein jaws were used to grasp the V carpet, with ratchet attachment for retaining the grasp,'and connected to an arm pointed at its lower end, so that when forced in the floor it would constitute a lever, and by pulling upon the upper end of such arm the carpet could be drawn or stretched; also, that carpetstretohers have been invented consisting of a floor-hook and main bar constructed in one piece, a carpet-hook mounted upon said bar, a bail or catch pivoted to said carpet-hook, and a lever pivoted to the bar and provided with notches with which said bail will engage; but I' do not claim, broadly, jaws to grasp the carpet, or, broadly, mechanism for retaining such grasp, or, broadly, the floor-hook for retaining the main bar in position upon the floor, or, broadly, the attachment of the lever to the main bar and connection therewith with the jaws for the purpose of drawing said jaws by pulling upon said lever.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isi 1. A carpet-stretcher consisting of main 1 bar B, having floor-hooks g, sleeve D, and

tooth h, together with sliding bar A, having notches a and grip-bar d, mounted so as to slide horizontally upon main bar B through sleeve D, so that tooth k may engage with to sliding bar A, so as to permit engagement L of gripbar c with grip-bar d, together with lever-arm F, having pin Z, said arm being pivoted at its lower end to main bar B, and, to-

gether with rod or bar G, pivoted at one end to bar E, so its notches K may engage with pin Z, connecting lever-arm F with grip-bar e and sliding bar A, whereby the parts may be sesecured in the desired position, the carpet grasped and stretched by moving said leverarm, and bars B and A held in posit-ion,through the engagement of tooth h in notches a, when said floor-hooks g are engaged in the floor, substantially as described.

2. A carpet-stretcher consisting of main bar B, having floor-hooks g, sleeve D, and tooth h, together with sliding bar A, having notches a and gripbar d, mounted so as to slide horizontally upon main bar B through sleeve D, so that tooth h may engage with notches (1, together with arm E, having at its lower end grip-bar 6, said arm being pivoted to sliding bar A, so as to permit engagement of grip-bar c with grip-bar d, together with lever-arm F, having pin Z, said arm being pivoted at its lower end to main bar 13, and, together with rod or bar G, pivoted at one end to bar E, so its notches k may engage with pin Z, connecting lever-arm F-with the grip-bar e and sliding bar A, whereby the parts may be secured in the desired position, the carpet grasped and stretched by moving said lever-arm, and bars B and A held in position, through the engagement of tooth h in notches a, when said floor-hooks g are engagedin the floor, in combination with wheel n, pivoted off its center to sliding bar A, so that being turned upon its pivot it may engage or come in contact with arm E,whereby said grip-bars d and 6 may be locked together, and bar 0, pivoted to arm F, its lower end pointed, so that it may enter the floor by being dropped forward and downward, and thus hold the carpet in position after it is stretched, substantially as described.

ALEX. STOGKDALE.

\Vitnesses:

W. G. WARRINER,

WM. HOERSCH. 

